Lemon Pesto Pasta Recipe

Erin D. | Texanerin Baking

Lemon Pesto Pasta that's as bright as it is garlicky. Perfect for picnics, road trips, or any night of the week.

Lemon Pesto Pasta Photo

This lemon pesto pasta is my go to picnic recipe. I'm admittedly ridiculously picky when it comes to savory food. I have the palate of a small child and would happily (and almost do!) live off of chicken strips, pizza, hamburgers and sweets. That poses a problem at picnics where people are usually eating "fancy" noodle salads and well... salad. I don't eat any of that so I'm usually attacking the meat and sweets table.

So you can imagine that it was a pretty awesome moment for me when I found this lemon pesto pasta recipe! It tastes great warm, room temperature and even cold! It'd also be a great dish to take on the road. I don't know about you, but I've had it with sandwiches on road trips. Gimme pasta!

I added quite a bit of garlic to the dish. If you're not a fan, definitely leave that out. Job interview tomorrow? You'll also probably want to scale that back to 1 or 2 cloves.

Lemon Pesto Pasta Picture

I've tried this lemon pesto pasta with both homemade and store bought pesto and while I'm usually all for store bought items to save time, homemade makes a huge difference here! I recommend this homemade basil pesto recipe. Plus if you happen to have a basil plant growing wildly, it's the perfect way to get that under control.

I'm going to be honest here and say that I have no clue what kind of pasta I used because my husband threw away the bag without telling me (darn him for cleaning up, right?!) You can use any type of short pasta, but I recommend orecchiette.

You can also use regular pasta, whole wheat pasta, or gluten-free pasta. Whatever your family enjoys will work here!

Looking for some more goodies to take to that first spring picnic? Try these gluten-free no-bake cookies! They're quick and easy to put together and sure to be a crowd pleaser. This gluten-free banana bread is also perfect picnic fare!

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Lemon Pesto Pasta Recipe

    4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 8 ounces Whole Wheat Pasta, or gluten free - orecchiette is my favorite
  • 1/3 cup Pesto
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Basil, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano Cheese, or Parmesan, grated
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
  • 1-3 teaspoons Lemon Juice, if needed
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until hot and then add the minced garlic.
  2. Cook, stirring ocassionally, until the garlic just starts to turn brown, about 1-2 minutes. Set this aside.
  3. In a large pot, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
  4. Drain the pasta and return the pasta back to the pot. Add the cooked garlic, pesto, basil, cheese, lemon zest, and if you need to add some extra liquid, add the lemon juice.
  5. Stir thoroughly to make sure all the pasta is coated.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
  7. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 5 days.

Recommended

Source: Adapted from Lemony Pesto Pasta with Peas from The Lemon Bowl.
Published:
Modified:
Author:
Source:
Adapted from Lemony Pesto Pasta with Peas from The Lemon Bowl.
Cooking Method:
Boiled
Cuisine:
Italian
Category:
Healthy Eating
Tags:
, , , , , , ,
Related Recipes:
Healthy Recipes, Healthy Eating Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Italian Recipes, Pesto Recipes, Easy Dinner Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Boiled Recipes
Recipe Yields:
4 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Erin D.
Source: Adapted from Lemony Pesto Pasta with Peas from The Lemon Bowl.
Recipe Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 89
Calories 325

% Daily Value*
17%
Total Fat 11g
15%
  Saturated Fat 3g
8%
Sodium 192mg
14%
Total Carbohydrate 43g
0%
  Dietary Fiber 0g
  Sugars 0g
24%
Protein 12g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Erin D.

About Erin

Erin loves to bake, and especially the challenge of grain-free and gluten-free baking. We're huge fans of her work on Texanerin Baking too!

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